These Changes
by hpottergurl
Summary: Everyone thought they knew exactly who Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger were. But is it possible that these two are misunderstood and are only truly known by the other?
1. First Glimpse Part 1

Above the white covered, frozen ground was the blackest of skies to contrast it. Stars strew the clear sky like someone had reached out their hand a sprinkled glitter everywhere. The moon was in a waning crescent, the entire atmosphere was perfect. If only he had someone to share it with.

Looking back at the castle, the windows that shielded the house common rooms from the bitter air outside them blazed from the fires lit in their places. Inside were people he could be with, but couldn't bring himself to associate with. The people in his house looked up to him, but for what? Because his father had associations with one of the most powerful wizards in all the world? To him it was nothing to be proud of. The wizard his father followed was an evil man, condescending to even his most loyal of followers, and Draco wanted nothing to do with that life. Just like he wanted nothing to do with the people that looked up to him because that was the life he was bound to live.

Turning away from the castle, away from the warm, inviting light and the promise of companionship it brought with it, he looked back up at the sky with a sigh. If only there was one person in the world who could understand, someone who could look past the cold, frozen exterior that was so similar to the earth's terrain at that moment, and see the soul that blazed beneath it all. If only….

If only….

Behind him the crack of a twig under the pressure of someone's foot echoed through the dense air, making the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Alert, he turned his head slowly to the left, then to the right, trying to see who it was that had caused the disturbing noise on such a peaceful night. A feeling of fear rose inside him, though he knew the chances of one of his father's associates getting to him here were nearly impossible. The cover of the trees made it hard to see the shadowy figure that stood frozen near the trunk of one of the tall trees.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. I tried to turn and leave quietly," a voice issued from the shadows, a familiar, feminine voice that usually had an angry tone to it when directed towards him.

"Looks like that didn't quite go as you planned, did it Granger," Draco said back, looking out over the surface of the ice covered lake. "Does that happen to you much, your plans not going as expected?"

He heard her sigh and shift her body weight around a bit. He pictured her leaning up against the tree, one arm wrapped around the body, the other lifting up the hand that supported her head as she covered her eyes, trying not to just snap at him. For the first time in his life since he had known her, he hadn't meant to insult her. And for the first time in his life, he felt a twinge of guilt that he had. He lowered his own head into his hands, rubbing them over his face. He wanted someone to understand, and he was pushing away the only person in the entire wizarding world who probably could. Hermione Granger wanted to believe the best in someone, even of that someone was Draco Malfoy.


	2. First Glimpse Part 2

The room was stuffy, way to stuffy. She rubbed a hand across her brow to wipe away the beads of sweat that were collecting there, only to discover that her hand was covered in the same sweat. She needed to get out of there, to get away from the people that were continually asking if she was alright. She was tired of lying to them, they were just trying to be nice. Glancing towards the window, watching as the light from the room illuminated a few snowflakes falling past the window on their way to the ground from the roof where they had rested from the night before. Outside it was cold, the perfect place to cool down.

Rising from her four poster bed, she reached out for her traveling cloak. She didn't feel like she needed it at that moment, but she was sure that by the time she reached the Entrance Hall and stepped outside into the slow flurries that were beginning to fill the air as snow fell from the rooftops, that she would have cooled down enough to need it. Especially since there were no clouds to keep any heat that might be lingering close to the ground where people could feel it.

Waving to people who called out her name and ignoring her two best friends that invited her to join them by the fire. Normally, she would have joined them, but she was not in the mood to watch Harry and Ron play wizard's chess or listen to them discuss Quidditch tactics. She had a goal of reaching the outdoors, and she was determined to meet that goal just like she was any other.

Finally, after what seemed like and eternity though it had been no more than a few minutes, she reached the large oak doors that would let her escape out into the dark. Glancing around, she looked to see if there was anyone that would try to stop her. Satisfied that no one lingering in the Entrance Hall had any interest in her, she sighed and reached to pull open the doors, slipping out into the dark, cool night. Instantly her eyes were drawn to the frozen lake. Without really telling herself to go there, she began walking down the snow-covered path, suddenly very eager to reach her destination that it was hard to keep herself from running. But soon enough she was walking through the trees that bordered the bank of the lake where all the students used as a beach during good weather in the spring and early summer.

A small sigh left her lips as she could see the moon's dim light reflecting off ice that covered the lake through the trunks of the trees. But just as she was about to step out from behind the trees, she saw someone sitting, their back pressed against the trunk of a tree not fifteen feet away. Figuring this person wanted to be alone just as much as she did, she turned to leave. As she did, however, her foot found a twig, snapping it in half, announcing her presence. Pausing, a wince crossed her feature. Now she was going to have to say something to whoever it was, because from the sound of their movements, whoever it was seemed paranoid.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. I tried to turn and leave quietly," she said, turning once more to face in the general direction of the person she had just disturbed.

"Looks like that didn't quite go as you planned, did it Granger," said a familiar voice, a sneering tone to it like it always seemed to have whenever he talked to her. "Does that happen to you much, your plans not going as expected?"

Sighing, Hermione moved to lean against the trunk of the nearest tree. One of her arms wrapped around herself, like she was trying to hold herself together. With the other hand she covered her face, trying to calm her sudden anger that flared at his words. She could just snap at him, like she tended to do, but just like with Harry and Ron, she wasn't in the mood.

"Again, I'm sorry I bothered you, Malfoy," Hermione said, turning to leave. "I'll just let you be to your thoughts."

"Granger, wait," his voice rang back out, calling her back. Hermione stopped once more, her jaw dropping as she turned to face him.

"What is it, Malfoy?"


End file.
